Saturday, February 27, 2010

A few weeks ago, Mikako and I walked around Ginza (again), to check out a building called the "Mezamashi Marche", a concept produced by the morning news/variety program "Mezamachi Television". The building featured food items from around the country. But because, the floors were divided into areas, we found it to be rather disappointing. And they didn't even carry microbrews of the different prefectures. Fortunately, in the same neighborhood, we came across the antenna shop for Kumamoto Prefecture and they certainly had a couple of craft beers. I picked up a Weizen and a Porter from Aso Farmland Brewery. Just love those porters and weizens. Both were delicious.

Friday, February 26, 2010

As I was going in search of the Okamoto Minka Park, I stumbled across what looked like a nature trail. As the area was surrounded in green, I knew I had to explore.

岡本民家公園を探してる途中に自然に囲まれてる緑道ぽいのところを発見。行ってみるしかない。

Carp / 鯉

I then noticed some people walking up a steep hillside. I decided to follow them.

人が山道を登ってるの見て、ついて行くことにした。

I wonder where this path leads?

この道は何処に出るかな？

That was a nice little climb.

登って気持ちいい。

This is the first thing I came across at the top of the hill. It looks like one huge tombstone. Couldn't read any of the kanji though. Anyway, something else caught my eye as well.

登りきったら、このデッカイ墓みたいな物があった。漢字が読めなかったが、この近くにもっと興味あった建物があった。

Well, it doesn't look like a Japanese temple or shrine and I don't recall seeing a sign saying what this place is.

日本のお寺や神社には見えないですが、なんだったんだろう？

And this is where I found Setagaya Ward "100 Scenic Spots" No.73. This is the Okamoto Seikado Bunko Building which stands next to the Seikado Bunko Art Museum. As I already checked out the Setagaya Art Museum, I decided to skip the museum itself and only walked around the surroundings.

A few more views of the Setagaya Art Museum. Afterwards, I went inside to check out the Shozo Uchii Exhibit and the permanent exhibit as well. Also featured inside the building is a community gallery. When I went, there was a children's art display, a bead display, and a couple of artists' paintings exhibits.

I decided to walk around Kinuta Park a little more before heading off to Okamoto.

岡本に行く前にまだ砧公園を探索した。

San no Hashi / 三の橋

It's currently plum season in Tokyo.

現在は梅の季節です。

This piece was not part of the Setagaya Art Museum. I came across it near the Kid's Soccer Field.

こちらは世田谷美術館の物ではございません。少年サッカ場の近くにあった。

I continued my walk from Kinuta to Okamoto to go in search of the Okamoto Minka Park, where an old style Japanese house is on display. The weather was so nice that before getting there I took a short break by a river and read a book for half-hour.

I wasn't exactly sure where the Okamoto Minka Park was so I just rambled until I saw some people walking up a trail along a steep hillside. I decided to check that area out as well and followed them and came across another one of Setagaya Ward's "100 Scenic Spots" which I will write about on my next post.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

When I worked in Aomonoyokocho, walking to work I would pass by the one temple that was listed as one of Shingawa Ward's "100 Scenic Spots". I figured if Shinagawa Ward has "100 Scenic Spots", so must Setagaya Ward (where I live) have them as well. I Googled "Setagaya Ward 100 Scenic Spots" and found that I had already been to a few of them such as Setagaya Park, Hanegi Park where they have the plum festival every year, the Setagaya Line, Todoroki Valley which I walked a couple of weeks ago, and more. I thought I would try to see as many of the "100 Scenic Spots" of Setagaya which is why I decided to walk around Kinuta and Okamoto. First its off to Kinuta where I decided to walk around the Kinuta Family Park and check out the Setagaya Art Museum.